If Optimism (about This Season) Is Wrong

[Greendylan]

I do think we will have some improvement on the defensive end of the ball. I don't think the offense is going to be much better than it has been. I think Rodge will put up big yardage numbers, but I think it will be because we will have to pass a lot trying to catch up. Plus, he will have growing pains, too. I just haven't seen this offense get to the end zone like I expected it to (sans Navy) against good teams. If the defense and special teams are improved, though, I expect to be able to compete with the bottom-rung teams in the SBC (i.e. FIU, WKU, ULM, etc.) and Army. I think we could be improved significantly as a team this year, but we were just so bad last year that I just can't see more than 3 wins. The real question is if 3 wins would be enough to convince the administration to change coaches. I just don't know if the money is there right now. I can see a scenario where Dodge is the coach through our last year at Fouts, but the university uses the new stadium as a springboard to make a coaching "splash". I guess we'll see.

This is what confuses me. That was an eight win Navy team with wins against programs such as Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, and Air Force. They did give up a lot of points that season, but their next highest amount surrendered after 62 was 45 in a 2OT game against Pitt. It's easy to write off the game as a fluke, but it wasn't like the opponent was some FCS scrub. They were a legitimate bowl team with some impressive road wins. One has to admit that the Dodge offense worked that day (I'm ignoring the defense for purposes of this discussion). Why was it able to work so effectively on one occasion and then sputter against substantially worse opponents? Does anyone else think that a lack of confidence from either the players, coaches, or both could be partially to blame for some of the less impressive offensive performances? I don't know the answer, but there has to be a reason why the offense clicked that day.

[oldguystudent]

oldguystudent is a hack, don't listen to anything he says.

A hack indeed. Pity the fools who associate with me!

[Mean Green 93-98]

This is what confuses me. That was an eight win Navy team with wins against programs such as Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, and Air Force. They did give up a lot of points that season, but their next highest amount surrendered after 62 was 45 in a 2OT game against Pitt. It's easy to write off the game as a fluke, but it wasn't like the opponent was some FCS scrub. They were a legitimate bowl team with some impressive road wins. One has to admit that the Dodge offense worked that day (I'm ignoring the defense for purposes of this discussion). Why was it able to work so effectively on one occasion and then sputter against substantially worse opponents? Does anyone else think that a lack of confidence from either the players, coaches, or both could be partially to blame for some of the less impressive offensive performances? I don't know the answer, but there has to be a reason why the offense clicked that day.

Really, the offense was a lot better overall in 2007 than it was in 2008. Remember the numbers Meager and Fitz put up against SMU? And, as atrocious as our defense was, our offense was able to keep games close against the same teams that we got blown out by in 2008. Although in the 2007 Troy game, our offense was dominated worse than perhaps any other game in the Dodge era.

[untjim1995]

Really, the offense was a lot better overall in 2007 than it was in 2008. Remember the numbers Meager and Fitz put up against SMU? And, as atrocious as our defense was, our offense was able to keep games close against the same teams that we got blown out by in 2008. Although in the 2007 Troy game, our offense was dominated worse than perhaps any other game in the Dodge era.

Remember that SMU team was absolutley terrible, too. Yes, the offense was great that night, but that was against a team that only won one game in the entire year, IIRC. And, yes, Troy dominated us that day. Of course, so did winless FIU, too.

[LoveMG]

3-21. There is no Santa. 29 points to make up each game. Samebase offense that is not unique anymore. Either we do win more or all fans will really be together in expecting a new direction for next year, except kram

[greenminer]

Can we expect a 20 - 30 point swing in our favor due to the following:

DeLoach year 2 + Nelson on staff (perhaps shaving opponents scoring by 2 or 3 possessions?)

Tight End + Riley + snaps under center ("If the situation calls for it"...wtf) equate to higher redzone conversion %.

Hypothetical (unless someone really does want to do this math): What would a 3 - 5 possession swing in our favor have done for our record last year?

[shaft]

We're just a head coach away from turning this ship around.

[meanrob]

Excited? Yes.

Optimistic? No. Think you gotta walk before you run and last year we barely crawled. I'm just hoping for some walking this year.

But, I'm going to Ball State so somewhere there's some optimism in me.

I think our schedule is truly a mine field. Army and Ohio will be better this year and Ball State will be tough at home. And I think most of the Belt will be better this year except for Ull and Ulm.

[chrisfisher]

Same optimism you had last year ??

2008

I say we beat *Ohio,Army,WKu & ULM

* If Tyler is eligible

Ya, but this year I really mean it! 6-6 baby!

[Travis Scott]

I have a good feeling too. There's going to be magic when we play Ball State. First game of the college football season, on TV, we have nothing to lose, etc. I have a feeling that our guys will have a swagger about them that game. Not from being cocky but just ready to play. They are coming off one of the worst seasons in a long while and they are ready to put that behind them and move on. It's going to be fun to watch.

[LoveMG]

I have a good feeling too. There's going to be magic when we play Ball State. First game of the college football season, on TV, we have nothing to lose, etc. I have a feeling that our guys will have a swagger about them that game. Not from being cocky but just ready to play. They are coming off one of the worst seasons in a long while and they are ready to put that behind them and move on. It's going to be fun to watch.

The optimism is natural but the reality will not be fun to watch.

[MeanGreen61]

The optimism is natural but the reality will not be fun to watch.